Introduction to Blogging
What is a blog?
This is a blog… :)
Blogs (truncation of “weblogs”) developed from a combination of browser Favorites (Bookmarks), and online journals.
Once software was implemented to expedite the process of updating a journal and adding links to interesting sites, a whole culture of blogging developed. Whether or not you wish to explore this blog culture, it is a handy way to maintain a process journal, which is an essential tool for any writer.
Definitions of blog from the Web:
1. A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links.
2. An online journal of personal thoughts and web links, usually published frequently and presented in chronological order and often allowing others to attach their own thoughts and opinions for further discussion.
3. (short form for weblog) A personal journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs generally represent the personality of the author or the Web site and its purpose. Topics sometimes include brief philosophical musings, commentary on Internet and other social issues, and links to other sites the author favors. The essential characteristics of the blog are its journal form, typically a new entry each day, and its informal style.
4. A web site wherein its owner posts links to other blogs and to various other web sites.
How to start
There are several free blogging tools. This blog is developed in Blogger.com.
You can go to Blogger.com, pick a username and password and soon be up and running at no cost. Blogs can be hosted on your own server (you will have to give FTP details) or on Blogspot.com like this one.
Note: The first time I wrote this page, it disappeared when I clicked Post & Publish because of a server hangup. Half an hour’s writing lost. Save regularly (cut and paste each entry into a word file you keep on your own computer) even before clicking Post!
My own blog: PeriodicFable
Blogging Links
An introduction to weblog terms by Phil Gyford, author of Pepys’ weblog
Intro to blogging from a writer’s viewpoint from WritersWrite
The Art of Blogging from Elearnspace
A weblog about Learning Journals and Weblogs from the TAFE project in Australia
Blogger.com’s own get started information
Weblog Kitchen from Mark Bernstein of Eastgate who publish blogging software and PERSONAL content management assistant Tinderbox (only for Macs at present)
Originally published on trAce archived at http://tracearchive.ntu.ac.uk